Article

AIM: To determine the efficacy of web-based training on activity capacity and
performance in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP). METHOD: In a
matched-pairs randomized waitlist controlled trial, independently ambulant
children and adolescents with unilateral CP were allocated to receive 30 minutes
of training (intervention) 6 days per week, or usual care (waitlist control) for
20 weeks. Activity capacity was assessed using maximal repetitions of functional
strength tasks and 6-minute walk test (6MWT); performance using 4-day ActiGraph
GT3X+ accelerometer records at baseline and 20 weeks. Data were analysed by
intention to treat comparing between groups using hierarchical linear modelling.
RESULTS: Participants were n=101, 52 males, mean age 11 years 3 months (SD 2y
4mo). Intervention participants completed a mean 32.4 hours (SD 17.2) of
training, associated with significant improvements in functional strength (mean
difference 19.3 repetitions; 95% confidence interval [CI] 10.8-27.7; p<0.001) and
6MWT distance (mean difference 38.9m; 95% CI 12.3-51.9; p<0.001) compared with
the control group at 20 weeks, although not activity performance (p>0.05).
INTERPRETATION: Training was effective at increasing functional strength and
walking endurance in independently ambulant children with unilateral CP. This did
not translate into improvements in activity performance.
CI - (c) 2016 Mac Keith Press.

Langue : ANGLAIS